A fierce land dispute in Otano, Adenta Municipality, Greater Accra, has sparked a legal battle between Spedee Empire Company Limited and Roberta Ama Anokye-Edwards, a U.S.-based Ghanaian lawyer.
The case, now in court, centers on claims of unlawful land acquisition, the use of landguards, and alleged political interference, turning the spotlight on growing concerns about land ownership disputes in Ghana’s capital.
At the heart of the conflict is a parcel of land located in Otano, measuring approximately 0.62 acres. Spedee Empire, a Ghanaian-owned company, claims to have acquired the land legally from the Akwraboye Doku family, the recognized allodial owners.
Spedee holds a land title certificate issued by the Lands Commission on December 14, 2015. This certificate, registered as Parcel Number 8376, Section 75, Block 6 of District 019 on the Land Registry Map, is considered valid by the company and its legal team.
However, Roberta Ama Anokye-Edwards has laid claim to the same parcel of land, disputing Spedee’s ownership.
According to reports, she presents herself as a Ghanaian lawyer based in the U.S. but allegedly wields influence through local political and security connections.
Spedee accuses her of attempting to forcibly take control of the land by engaging landguards consisting of armed groups known for intimidation in land disputes to harass their workers and prevent the company from developing the site.
The dispute escalated dramatically in October 2022, when Spedee Empire sought and obtained an injunction from the Tema High Court, halting any activity on the land by Anokye-Edwards and her associates.
The court order, dated October 10, 2022, instructed that all parties cease work on the land pending a resolution.
Spedee posted the injunction prominently on the site’s fence walls, signaling their intent to pursue legal action.
Despite this court order, the company reported continued harassment on the land.
On October 12, 2022, Spedee led police officers to the site, where they arrested four individuals allegedly hired by Anokye-Edwards to obstruct Spedee’s development efforts.
These individuals, claiming to be masons and laborers, were unable to produce any tools when questioned by the police. Additionally, they were found in possession of two BAOFENG walkie-talkie devices, which are commonly used by landguards to coordinate their activities.
These items were taken as evidence by the police.
A detective involved in the investigation revealed that Speed had already informed authorities about a trespassing incident on July 27, 2022.
During this earlier complaint, both parties presented their respective land documents to the police.
Spedee’s documents, issued by the Lands Commission, detailed their legal acquisition of the land from the Akwraboye Doku family. Following this, Spedee escalated the matter to the Tema High Court, resulting in the ongoing legal battle.
Beyond the legal dispute, investigation has uncovered allegations that Roberta Ama Anokye-Edwards is leveraging her connections with high-ranking political figures and security officials to gain an upper hand in the case.
Sources claim that when she failed to secure a favorable ruling through legal channels, she turned to these influential contacts to pressure local authorities and
intimidate Spedee Empire’s stakeholders.
Publications circulating on social media and other platforms have also painted Spedee in a negative light, leading some to believe that a targeted smear campaign may be part of Anokye-Edwards’ strategy to discredit the company.
These tactics, however, have reportedly backfired, causing embarrassment and drawing unwanted attention to her actions.
Despite the challenges, Spedee Empire remains resolute.
The company has signaled its readiness to fight the case through the courts, refusing to be intimidated or driven off the land.
More developments are expected as the case moves forward in court.
Content by: Nana Yaw Cobbina
